Disk drives are information storage devices that use magnetic media to store data. A typical disk drive unit in related art comprises a magnetic disk and a head stack assembly (abbreviated as “HSA”). The magnetic disk is mounted on a spindle motor which causes the magnetic disk to spin. Sliders on the HSA are flying above the magnetic disk to read data from or write data to the magnetic disk.
The conventional HSA includes a rigid drive arm, at least one suspensions which are fixed to a tip end of the drive arm, and sliders mounted to a top end section of each of the suspensions (the suspension with a slider is generally called a “HGA”). The HSA is constructed so that a load applied to the slider in a direction to the magnetic disk so as to produce a leaf spring at the suspension itself or at a connection section of the suspension and the drive arm. Referring to FIGS. 1-2, a conventional suspension 14 comprises an individual load beam 33 and an individual flexure 32, which are overlaped partially and connected with each other by traditional method, such as laser welding or gluing. The suspension 14 further comprises a hinge (not labeled) coupled with the drive arm 34. A lift tab 331 extends from an end of the load beam 33 to engage with a ramp (not shown) provided on the disk drive housing. The load beam 33 has a dimple 329 formed thereon to support the flexure 32 in the center of the slider mounting area, which will keep the loading force always being applied to the center area of the slider 203 through the dimples 329 of the load beam 33 so as to keep the static and dynamic attitude of the slider 203, thus ensuring the slider 203 reading data from or writing data to the disk successfully.
However, the assembly process of the HGA with the conventional structure as described above is rather complicated for the following reasons: firstly, referring to FIG. 2, because there is a dimple 329 to support the flexure 32, so a gap is formed between the load beam 33 and the flexure 32. During mounting the slider 203 to the flexure 32, because the load beam 33 is supported by a worktable while a gap is formed between the flexture 32 and the worktable so that it is rather inconvenient to position the slider 203 on the flexure 32, bond the slider 203 to the flexure 32, and electrical connect (GBB or SBB) the slider 32 with the flexure 32. In addition, forming the individual flexure 32 and the load beam 33 cost much time and money. Furthermore, because the conventional HGA of FIG. 1 must superpose the flexure 32 with the load beam 33 in a certain area for assembling them together, and accordingly the superposing portions of the flexure 32 and the load beam 33 will increase the whole height and weight of the HGA (HSA, disk drive). In other words, the traditional HGA has a large inertia which results in a bad shock performance. When an impact is applied to the HGA from outside, there is a fear that the slider is strongly vibrated and collided against the magnetic disk surface, and causes a damage to the disk surface and/or the slider.
Hence, it is desired to provide a HGA with an accessory plate and a method of manufacturing such an HGA to overcome the above-mentioned drawbacks.